The President’s Office has announced government offices will officially reopen on August 9, after remaining temporarily closed as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19 in the Maldives.
In a directive issued on August 6, the President’s Office urged government offices to abide by the health and safety guidelines outlined by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in order to contain the further spread of COVID-19. Government offices in islands with community spread of the virus have been instructed to take particular heed of these guidelines.
The directive states it is the responsibility of respective ministers and institutional heads to ensure the least necessary amount of staff attend the workplace simultaneously. The directive states this can be done by separating staff into teams, and requiring distinct teams to attend work on alternate days or shifts; and by distinguishing the different services that are part of their institutional mandates, to arrange for their provision on alternate days.
Government offices have been encouraged to ensure that staff complete their work within regular hours and avoid staying in office past 1400hrs, unless it is for shift-duty. Government offices have been instructed to close latest by 1600hrs, if it is absolutely necessary that offices should be kept open after regular hours.
Furthermore, to reduce the necessity of physical interactions, government institutions have been instructed to identify which of their services can be provided through online mechanisms, and subsequently implement and regularise such means. The guidelines also mandate offices to implement good hygiene practices and ensure social-distancing, in accordance with the measures outlined in the relevant Civil Service Commission (CSC) circular, developed in consultation with the HPA.
The CSC circular addresses the issue of necessary expense-reductions offices should make in light of the economic damage caused by the pandemic. As such, the circular states government institutions should reduce printing costs and digitalise work to the extent possible, while also implementing all possible cost-cutting measures in order to reduce the strain on the national budget.
Government institutions have also been asked to reiterate to their staff that these preventive measures are being taken in order to help the country overcome the pandemic. Government institutions have been urged to emphasise to their employees the importance of not leaving the house unless it is essential, and of always heeding the advice and instructions of the HPA.